In a conventional network game system, for example, a player connects to a server from a terminal (computer, game dedicated machine, cellular phone, etc.) via a network, and selects (decides) a partner for a game from other terminals (other players) connected to the server. Then, the player plays a game (match-up game, role playing game, etc.) with the selected partner.
Furthermore, one example of the related art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-45573 [A63F 13/12, A63F 13/00, G06F 15/00, H04M 3/42, H04M 11/08] laid-open on Feb. 12, 2002. In the network system of this related art, the terminal integrated with a game program to play a go game as a match-up service program is used and connected to a go club server to thereby perform a communication match-up game with another terminal integrated with the match-up service program via the go club server.
However, in the network system of the related art, only the terminal integrated with the match-up service program can be connected to the go club server to receive a provision of service such as performing a communication match-up game. That is, only the terminal having a released game program version can receive a provision of services in the network. Thus, there is a problem of preventing a terminal not integrated with the match-up service program from participating in the communication match-up game. Accordingly, before purchase of the released version game program, it is impossible experience the game.
Therefore, it is a feature of illustrative embodiments to provide a novel network game system, game apparatus, storage medium storing a game program and game controlling method.
Another feature of the illustrative embodiments is to provide a network game system, a game apparatus, a storage medium storing a game program and a game controlling method allowing a player to easily participate in a communication game.
A further feature of the illustrative embodiments is to provide a network game system, a game apparatus, a storage medium storing a game program and a game controlling method capable of playing a communication game between a game apparatus having a released version game program and a game apparatus having its trial version game program.
The illustrative embodiments may employ the following features in order to solve the above-described problems. It should be noted that reference numerals and supplemental references inside the parentheses which show an example of a corresponding relationship with the illustrative embodiments are provided for ease of understanding and are not limiting in any way.
An exemplary embodiment is directed to a network game system utilizing a plurality of game apparatuses each capable of communicating with a server via a network, and out of the plurality of game apparatuses, a first game apparatus having a released version game program for executing a predetermined game and a second game apparatus having a trial version game program corresponding to the released version game program are present. The first game apparatus includes connection accepting means for performing a connection acceptance to permit a connection from the second game apparatus on the server. The second game apparatus includes connection requesting means for performing a connection request to the first game apparatus on the server by executing the trial version game program, connection information receiving means for receiving connection permission information from the server, and communication game processing means for, when the connection permission information is received by the connection information receiving means, performing a communication game on the basis of the trial version game program by making communications with the first game apparatus indicated by the connection permission information. The server includes connection acceptance determining means for determining whether or not the first game apparatus performs a connection acceptance when the connection request is received from the second game apparatus, and connection permission information transmitting means for, when it is determined by the connection acceptance determining means that the connection acceptance is performed, transmitting connection permission information relating to the first game apparatus which at least performs the connection acceptance to the second game apparatus which has preformed the connection request.
In the exemplary embodiment, a network game system (110) uses a plurality of game apparatuses (12) each capable of making a communication with a server (106) via a network (108). Out of the plurality of game apparatuses, a first game apparatus having a released version game program (200) for executing a predetermined game and a second game apparatus having a trial version game program (200′) corresponding to the released version game program are present. In the first game apparatus, connection accepting means (40, S171) performs a connection acceptance to permit a connection from the second game apparatus on the server. That is, a player of the first game apparatus invites the partner of the communication game. On the other hand, in the second game apparatus, by execution of the trial version game program, connection requesting means (40, S209) performs a connection request to the first game apparatus on the server. In the server, connection acceptance determining means (S345) determines the first game apparatus performs a connection acceptance when a connection request is received from the second game apparatus (“YES” in the step S342). When it is determined that a connection acceptance is performed by the connection acceptance determining means (“YES” in the step S345), connection permission information transmitting means (S349) transmits connection permission information (IP address of the first game apparatus, for example) relating to the first game apparatus which at least performs the connection acceptance to the second game apparatus which has preformed the connection request. Then, in the second game apparatus, connection information receiving means (40, S211) receives the connection permission information from the server. In the second game apparatus, when the connection permission information is received by the connection information receiving means (“YES” in the step S211), communication game processing means (S215) performs a communication game on the basis of the trial version game program by making communications with the first game apparatus indicated by the connection permission information (S213).
According to the exemplary embodiment, the server notifies a first game apparatus having the released version game program as a connection destination according to a request from the second game apparatus having the trial version game program to performs a communication game between the first game apparatus and the second game apparatus, and therefore, it is possible to easily participate in the communication game by obtaining a trial version game program delivered for free. Furthermore, it is possible to play a communication game between the game apparatus having the released version game program and the game apparatus having the trial version game program.
In an illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment the plurality of game apparatuses each further includes other machine identification information transmitting means for transmitting identification information to identify at least other game apparatus to the server. The server further includes other machine identification information registering means for writing the identification information received from each of the game apparatuses to an other machine identification information storing area assigned for each of the game apparatuses, and registration determining means for determining whether or not the identification information of the second game apparatus which has performed the connection request is registered in the other machine identification information storing area as to the first game apparatus which performs the connection acceptance when it is determined by the connection acceptance determining means that the connection acceptance is performed. The connection permission information transmitting means transmits the connection permission information to the second game apparatus when it is determined by the registration determining means that the identification information of the second game apparatus is registered.
In illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, the game apparatuses may each further include other machine identification information transmitting means (40, S149). The other machine identification information transmitting means transmits identification information (a profile ID assigned for each communication game in this embodiment) for identifying another game apparatus to the server. In the server, other machine identification information registering means (S325) writes the identification information received from each of the game apparatuses to other machine identification information storing area (122) assigned for each of the game apparatuses. Furthermore, in the server, when it is determined that a connection acceptance is performed by the connection acceptance determining means (“YES” in the step S345), registration determining means (S347) determines whether or not the identification information of the second game apparatus which has performed the connection request is registered in the other machine identification information storing area as to the first game apparatus which performs the connection acceptance. That is, it is determined whether or not the first game apparatus registers the identification information of the second game apparatus which at least performs the connection request. Then, the connection permission information transmitting means transmits the connection permission information to the second game apparatus when it is determined by the connection acceptance determining means that the identification information of the second game apparatus is registered by the registration determining means (“YES” in the step S347).
Further according to the illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, in a case that it is determined whether or not the identification information of the second game apparatus as a source of the request is registered in the other machine identification information storing area as to the first game apparatus as a destination of the request, and the identification information is registered, connection permission information is transmitted. Thus, if the identification information is privately informed, identification information is talked between acquaintances and friends opponent to thereby play a communication game. Consequently, it is possible to safely participate in a communication game in comparison with a case that a communication game is played between unspecified partners.
Another illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, and the server further comprises selection information transmitting means for transmitting the selection information in which the identification information registered in the other machine identification information storing area as to the second game apparatus is at least made selectable on the side of the second game apparatus to the second game apparatus when the server accepts the connection request from the second game apparatus, and identification information receiving means for receiving the identification information notified from the second game apparatus. The second game apparatus further includes selection information receiving means for receiving the selection information, and connection partner notifying means for notifying to the server the identification information of the first game apparatus selected on the basis of the selection information received by the selection information receiving means. The registration determining means determines whether or not the identification information of the second game apparatus which has notified the identification information is registered in the other machine identification information storing area as to the first game apparatus indicated by the identification information received by the identification information receiving means.
The illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment further may include, selection information transmitting means (S339) of the server creates selection information (an individual request's state list in this embodiment) in which the identification information registered in the other machine identification information storing area as to the second game apparatus is at least made selectable on the side of the second game apparatus (S337) when accepting a connection request from the second game apparatus, and transmits it to the second game apparatus. In the second game apparatus, selection information receiving means (40, 5203) receives the selection information, and connection partner notifying means (40, S209) notifies the identification information of the first game apparatus selected on the basis of the selection information to the server. Then, in the server, identification information receiving means (S341) receives the identification information notified from the second game apparatus. Then, the registration determining means determines whether or not the identification information of the second game apparatus which has notified the identification information is registered in the other machine identification information storing area as to the first game apparatus indicated by the identification information received by the identification information receiving means.
According to the illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, in the second game apparatus, a first game apparatus is selected on the basis of the selection information, so that it is possible to select a player such as an acquaintance, a friend, and then participate in a communication game safely.
A further illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment where the server further includes connection state setting means for setting a connection state of the first game apparatus to a connectable state when receiving a connection acceptance from the first game apparatus, setting a connection state of the second game apparatus to a connection requesting state when receiving a connection request from the second game apparatus, and the selection information further includes a connection state of another game apparatus, and the second game apparatus further includes other machine information displaying means for displaying another game apparatus and a connection state of the other game apparatus on the basis of the selection information.
In the illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, the server further includes connection state setting means (S329, S333). The connection state setting means sets a connection state of the first game apparatus to a connectable state (the partner of the communication game is invited in this embodiment) when receiving a connection acceptance from the first game apparatus (“YES” in the step S327). Furthermore, the connection state setting means sets a connection state (participation in the communication game during inviting is requested in this embodiment) of the second game apparatus to a connection requesting state when receiving a connection request from the second game apparatus (“YES” in the step S331). For example, the selection information includes a connection state of another game apparatus. In the second game apparatus, other machine information displaying means (40, S205) displays another game apparatus and a connection state of the other game apparatus on the basis of the selection information.
According to the illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, a connection state of another game apparatus is displayed, so that the player of the second game apparatus can easily select a desired first game apparatus.
In an additional illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment the identification information further includes game kind information for identifying a kind of a game, the connection requesting means transmits own identification information to the server as the connection request, the selection information transmitting means transmits the selection information in which the identification information including game kind information the same as the game kind information included in the identification information transmitted from the connection requesting means and registered in the other machine identification information storing area as to the second game apparatus is at least made selectable on the side of the second game apparatus to the second game apparatus.
In the illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, the identification information includes game kind information (a game code or an application ID in this embodiment) for identifying a kind of a game. Furthermore, the connection requesting means transmits identification information of its own (second game apparatus) as a connection request to the server. Then, in the server, the identification information (connection request) from the connection requesting means (second game apparatus) is received. In the server, the selection information transmitting means creates the selection information in which the identification information including game kind information the same as the game kind information included in the identification information transmitted from the connection requesting means and registered in the other machine identification information storing area as to the second game apparatus is at least made selectable on the side of the second game apparatus. Then, the created selection information is transmitted to the second game apparatus.
According to the illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, selection information depending on the kind of the game is transmitted, and therefore, in a case that the server intermediates between the plurality of kinds of communication games, a player can participate in a desired communication game.
An illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment may include, and the trial version game program is a communication game processing program being a part of the released version game program.
In the illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, the trial version game program is a communication game processing program (212a, 212b, 212d, 212e, 220b, 220c) being a part of the released version game program.
According to the illustrative feature of the exemplary embodiment, without having the released version game program, it is possible to play a communication game with a player having the released version game program by executing the trial version game program.
A further exemplary embodiment is a game apparatus capable of communicating with a server via a network, comprises: connection requesting means for performing a connection request to another game apparatus having a released version game program corresponding to a trial version game program on the server by executing the trial version game program; connection information receiving means for receiving connection permission information from the server; and communication game processing means for, when connection permission information is received by the connection information receiving means, performing a communication game on the basis of the trial version game program by making communications with the other game apparatus indicated by the connection permission information.
In the exemplary embodiment it is possible to easily participate in the communication game.
An exemplary embodiment is a storage medium storing a game program of a game apparatus capable of communicating with a server via a network, the game program being a trial version game program and, by executing the trial version game program, causing a computer of the game apparatus to function as connection requesting means for performing a connection request to another game apparatus having a released version game program corresponding to the trial version game program on the server, connection information receiving means for receiving connection permission information from the server, and communication game processing means for, when the connection permission information is received by the connection information receiving means, performing a communication game by making communications with the other game apparatus indicated by the connection permission information.
In the exemplary embodiment it is possible to easily participate in the communication game.
Another exemplary embodiment is a game controlling method of a game apparatus capable of communicating with a server via a network including following steps of: (a) performing a connection request to another game apparatus having a released version game program corresponding to a trial version game program by executing the trial version game program on the server, (b) receiving connection permission information from the server, and (c) performing a communication game on the basis of the trial version game program by making communications with the other game apparatus indicated by the connection permission information when the connection permission information is received by the step (b).
In the exemplary embodiment it is possible to easily participate in the communication game.
The above described, features, aspects and advantages of the illustrative embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.